Animals at the resurection

[Agricola]

Of course people would wish that their beloved pets would receive some reward from God for their “goodness” on earth, but that goodness lies in their natures as purely material beings, not in their merit, and they have received their just reward on earth, in following the dictates of their natures, which they haven’t the power to accept, reject, pervert, or preserve.

A cat or dog, or the fleas that persue them, would not be any more than they are now if they were resurrected, as they fulfilled their purpose completely in their short time on earth. When we enter heaven, I doubt we will be concerned with whether God has resurrected the pet hampster from third grade that chewed off its own leg. Instead, we will be concerned with giving eternal praise to our Creator with our entire beings. That is what we were created for, not our animal friends.

As I see it, the animals were put here for the same reason as the rest of material creation: “God willed the diversity of his creatures and their own particular goodness, their interdependence, and their order. He destined all material creatures for the good of the human race. Man, and through him all creation, is destined for the glory of God.” (CCC 353) Material creation is here for our sake, not it’s own, that we may learn of God’s goodness through it, and give glory to Him because of it. In the end, we will be the fruits of material creation, and live on eternally due to our composite nature and the immortality of our souls.

God bless,

Agricola

 

[Matt16_18]

Jaypeeto4:

I just think we really ought to trust the traditional teaching of the church on the matter of the resurrection of non-human creatures, namely, that they won’t be resurrected.
Love, Jaypeeto4 (aka Jaypeeto3)

The CCC teaches that creation will be restored to the state that it had before the Fall. There will most definitely be plants and animals in the new creation, since there were plants and animals in the creation before the Fall. If God were to resurrect from the dead a favorite pet of mine, the pet would NOT have the same body that it had while on earth, since the pet’s body was a mortal body subject to death, disease and decay.

A cat will still be a cat in the new creation, but it will be a cat that cannot die, a cat that never has fleas, ticks or worms – it will be something quite beautiful to behold that suffers none of the things that causes all creation to groan to be free from the bondage to decay. No more cat boxes to clean, no more cat allergies for anyone! Dogs won’t have bad breath, they won’t stink when their fur gets wet, nor will they shed hair all over the place or throw up on the floor of your mansion.

Lions in the new creation will eat hay like the lamb – there won’t be any animals that kill other animals in the new creation, since animals weren’t killing other animals before the Fall.

… what about marine life? Why wouldn’t God resurrect marine life, too, after all they are animals too. Where would marine life fit in, in the heavenly resurrection? Will every last Tuna be resurrected? Will Alaskan King Crabs be resurrected? What about squid ? Great white sharks? Sperm whales? Blue whales? Stingrays? Jellyfish?

I believe that there will be marine life in the new creation, but again, the marine life will not be the same as it is now. Sharks won’t be killers, and neither will stingrays, or dolphins. I am looking forward to being able to play underwater to the with the dolphins in the new creation, letting them take me to interesting places to see at the bottom of the sea. I am sure that the beauty of the coral reefs in our fallen world is only a dim reflection of beauty of the reefs in the new creation. And in the new creation, I won’t have to worry about stepping on a poisonous blue ring octopus since there will be no pain, death, or sorrow in the new creation.

 

[stanley123]

Agricola:

. When we enter heaven, I doubt we will be concerned with whether God has resurrected the pet hampster from third grade that chewed off its own leg.

I would be concerned about it. I have been trying to get some sleep for a while., but the dogs from the neighbors keep on barking and keep me awake at night. And during the day they are barking all the time, growling, threatening and creating a terrible disturbance,. I thought that when I died, I would be able to have a little peace in the afterlife, but now you tell me that these dogs will be resurrected according to the Catholic religion? I was hoping to get some peace and quiet but now you have destroyed any hope of that. Unless your interpretation of the Catholic religion on this point is wrong and the animals will not be resurrected after all. I don’t see how a dog who barks and growls all night long and threatens innocent people during the day can merit eternal salvation in heaven? I don;t find this in the Baltimore catechism and I find it strange that Catholics are now contradicting what was taught in the past concerning the resurrection of animals. I don’t know why Catholics seem to change their minds on all kinds of things such as eating meat on Friday to the reasons for granting annulments, to kissing the Koran.

 

[mosher]

BarbaraTherese:

I do know what The Church teaches re animals and forms of life other than human…yet “all things are possible to God”, nor do I think God intends to limit his Divine Action to the insight and fallibly so of man or to be politically correct (yuk!) personkind.
To state otherwise is surely to state that “all things” are NOT possible to God. I guess it could be said that ‘God has revealed tha He does not intend to…(whatever)’…but I still do not think that we can have the arrogance to know what God does or does not intend.
My concept is that while The Church does teach that animals will not go to Heaven, my hope indeed remains that they will. Possibly animals will not have the Beatific Vision (whatever indeed that is - it boggles my mind anyway!)…but nevertheless be there at the final resurrection when ALL creation is fulfilled in Christ. “There will be a new Heaven and a new earth”…and another mystery that must needs wait until after death.

Regards - Barb.

St. Bonaventure explained this issue a little different than St. Thomas - both Doctors of the Church.

While Thomas states clearly that animals cannot by their nature enter into heaven and partake in beatific vision of God Bonaventure takes a different route. He affirms what Thomas says but then goes on to say that because one has an experience of joy in heaven in God and that natural things reflect God’s goodness then that which brought you joy concerning your pet or animals will exist virtually in God. Thus, while the animal is not actually there the animal is virtually there in God.

When talking to children I always take the Bonaventure route because to give the cold hard facts of Thomas takes some emotional maturity.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

mosher:

St. Bonaventure explained this issue a little different than St. Thomas - both Doctors of the Church.

While Thomas states clearly that animals cannot by their nature enter into heaven and partake in beatific vision of God Bonaventure takes a different route. He affirms what Thomas says but then goes on to say that because one has an experience of joy in heaven in God and that natural things reflect God’s goodness then that which brought you joy concerning your pet or animals will exist virtually in God. Thus, while the animal is not actually there the animal is virtually there in God.

When talking to children I always take the Bonaventure route because to give the cold hard facts of Thomas takes some emotional maturity.

Hello there Mosher…I can insight your meaning, but it can be I think a complex concept to grasp. I am sort of, somewhat, familiar with St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure…while falling far far short indeed of apologetics and also theology.

Thank you for your response…Barb